Three Iranians, two of them children, have been discovered in the back of a refrigerated lorry at Coquells, close to the entrance to the Channel Tunnel in France.

The youngsters, understood to both be under 10-years-old, and their de facto guardian are understood to have sneaked into the lorry as it prepared to cross to the UK.

A French source said that the three migrants were taken to hospital in Calais but did not require medical treatment as they had not been in the truck long enough for hypothermia to set in.

Trucks line up at the entrance to the Channel Tunnel terminal in Sangatte, near Calais: Three Iranians, two of them children, were discovered in the back of a refrigerated lorry near to here. (File photo)

The trio are among an estimated 1,300 migrants from Africa, Asia and the Middle East currently living rough in Calais, northern France, in the hope of making their way to Britain.

Some live in ramshackle tents in what is now called 'Jungle 2', a camp next to a chemical factory only a short distance from the heavily guarded ferry terminal linking Calais to Dover.

Others are squatting the town centre in unoccupied buildings seized by members of No Borders, a protest group campaigning for free passage for migrants to the UK.

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Earlier this month the town's police chief announced a decision to send in riot Police to clear Jungle 2 and a squat in the town. He said migrants would be informed of their rights to asylum in France.

Mayor of Calais Natacha Buchart blames Britain for her town's problems, which began in the late 1990s.

When an influx of migrants trying to reach Britain led to the opening of a giant Red Cross hostel in Sangatte, close to the entrance to the Channel Tunnel, where they were sheltered, fed and given medical care.

Mrs Bouchart said she would like to see British border, which is currently at Calais on the French side of the Channel, shifted back to Dover to enable migrants free passage to the UK mainland.

Migrants in Calais: The trio are among an estimated 1,300 migrants from Africa, Asia and the Middle East currently living rough in Calais, northern France, in the hope of making their way to Britain

When the Sangatte hostel was closed by Nicolas Sarkozy, then Minister of the Interior, in 2002, hundreds of migrants began sleeping rough in sand dunes and wasteland near the ferry terminal.

What came to be known as 'The Jungle' was razed five years ago.

This summer Jungle 2 rapidly expanded with new arrivals of Africans from Eritrea. Since the beginning of the year about 100,000 East Africans have entered Italy via Libya and the Mediterranean.

Many of those head for Calais hoping to sneak on board trucks crossing the Channel to the UK. Meanwhile, more and more desperate refugees arrive at the port every day.

In a recent interview, deputy mayor of Calais Philippe Mignonet said that if nothing is done to solve the problem between two and five thousand migrants will be camping there by the end of the year.

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Adult and two children from Iran taken to hospital after they are found in refrigerated lorry